Improvement in car-axle boxes



I -1111mm.

CAR-AXLE BOX.

Patented Feb. 27,1877.

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PATENT FFIGE JOSEPH ELDER, OF BEARDSTOWN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFHIS RIGHT TO PULASKI FARWELL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-AXLE BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,835, dated February27 1877; application filed August 9, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH ELDER, of Beardstown, Cass county, Illinois,have invented a Combined Gar-Axle Box, Axle, and Gar-Wheel, of which thefollowing is a specification:

The main objects of my invention are to relieve the bearing of anaxle-box from end Wear, to obtain a journal of larger diameter thanusual without increasing the size or cost of the axle, and to distributethroughout the box the strain imparted by theend play of the axle.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical section of myimproved axle-box, axle, and part of the hub of a car-wheel; Fig. 2, asectional plan; and Fig. 3, a perspective view, illustrating part of myinvention.

A represents a portion of that part of the axle to which the hub B ofthe car-wheel is secured, and A is the journal, which terminatesabruptly at as, without the usual collar. The journal A, instead ofbeing reduced in diameter, so as to form a collar'at the inner end forlimiting the end play of the axle, is but very slightlyreduced'sufficiently only to permit the easy fitting of the wheels tothe axle without wounding the journals. D is the axle-box, which isconstructed for adaptation to the hangers in the usual manner, and isprovided with a detachable bearing, E, confined longitudinally betweenthe inner end a of the interior of the box and a lip b, at the front ofthe same. The box is provided with the usual dust-exciuder d, and abearing, 0, is formed at the thickened rear of the box for the end f ofthe hub B of the car-wheel, the latter taking the place of the usualshoulder formed on the axle.

Two prominent'advantages are attained by this arrangement: first, thebearing E is not subjected to the usual end wear, and is, consequently,more durable; and, second, a journal of larger diameter than usual isobtained, while the cost is less than that of an axle with collars,owing to the fact that the tedious and expensive turning and fittingoperations are dispensed with. The collarless axle is more durable thanone of an ordinary character, for it is well known that the larger thebearing the greater will be the durability of bothjonrnal and bearing.

The use of the usual keys or wedges for causing the bearing-block E tofit into the recess between the collars on the axle, after being slippedinto place, is thus dispensed with, and a corresponding increase ofthickness thus imparted to the bearing E, which gives an increasedwearing-surface, and enables the blocks E to be used for a longer timethan usual without change.

The rear of the box presents an extended bearing-surface for the end ofthe hub of the wheel; but as the bearing-surfaces are exposed, they areliable to Wear. Hence, I relieve them from a portion of the friction towhich they' ing of a worn bar with a new one becomes ad visable.

The bar may be cast with its projecting portion m in a chill; or thisportion may be casehardened, to render it more durable.

There is this further advantage in combining the end bearing for the hubof the wheel with the bearing for the end of the axle-that the straindue to the end play of the axle is not imparted to the box at one endonly of the same, but at two points, so that the strain is more evenlydistributed throughout the box, and imparts a more directstrain to thehangers than when the box is struck at one end only.

1 claim as my invention- 1. The combination of an axle-box, having atits rear a bearing, with the end of the car-wheel hub, a collarlessjournal, A, and a bearing, E, relieved from all end strain.

2. The combination of the box, having a rear end bearing for the hub ofa car-wheel, with a bearing for the collarless end of the axle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH ELDER.

Witnesses:

HERMAN MOESSNER, HARRY SMITH.

